Jean- Jules Jusserand

Jean- Jules Jusserand, (born Feb. 18, 1855, Lyon—died July 18, 1932, Paris), French scholar and diplomat who, as French ambassador to Washington, D.C. (1902–25), helped secure the entry of the United States into World War I.

He was a noted Middle English literature scholar. En Amérique jadis et maintenant (1916; With Americans of Past and Present Days, 1917) was awarded the first Pulitzer Prize for history (1917). He was ambassador to the United States under five presidents, beginning with Theodore Roosevelt. His major works on medieval English literature include Les Anglais au moyen âge: l’épopée mystique de William Langland (1893; Piers Plowman, 1894) and Histoire littéraire du peuple anglais (vol. 1, 1894, vol. 2, 1904; “Literary History of the English People”).

This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen, Corrections Manager.

Inspire your inbox –
Sign up for daily fun facts about this day in history, updates, and special offers.

By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica.
Click here to view our Privacy Notice. Easy unsubscribe links are provided in every email.

Thank you for subscribing!

Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox.